Ports as Power Plants? The Future Is Docked

BlueGrid pilots show electric vessels can feed power ashore, turning ports into flexible energy hubs and new revenue engines

16 Feb 2026

Electric vessels feed electricity back to shore, hinting that ports could become energy hubs rather than mere gateways.

At a Canadian dock last year, a ship did something unusual. Instead of drawing power from the shore, it sent electricity back. The test, part of the BlueGrid initiative backed by Canada’s Ocean Supercluster and Innovate UK, suggests that ports may one day resemble small power plants as much as transport hubs.

Launched in 2024 and continuing into 2025, the project has trialled bi-directional charging for electric vessels. Under real-world conditions, marine batteries not only charged while berthed but also discharged electricity when the grid needed support. The result is a simple but striking shift: docked vessels can act as flexible energy assets rather than passive consumers.

The idea arrives at a delicate moment for utilities. Across North America, wind and solar capacity is rising quickly, while demand grows from electric vehicles, data centres and electrified heating. Renewable output fluctuates; consumption does not. Until now, stationary batteries have provided much of the balancing power. BlueGrid’s trials indicate that marine fleets could shoulder some of that task, particularly in coastal regions where grid congestion is common.

The appeal is clear. Utilities gain an additional source of fast, responsive capacity during peak periods. Ports can improve local resilience, especially as extreme weather threatens coastal infrastructure. Shipowners, for their part, may earn revenue by selling stored electricity while vessels sit idle. If widely adopted, vessel-to-grid systems could turn ports into active energy nodes within decentralised networks.

Yet obstacles remain. Energy rules were written with fixed installations in mind, not mobile fleets that connect and disconnect from the grid. Ports may require new equipment and control systems. Clear pricing and compensation models must be agreed. Questions about battery wear and the long-term economics of frequent discharge cycles are not trivial.

Still, the direction of travel is evident. As shipping electrifies and grids modernise, the boundary between transport and energy infrastructure is blurring. Should further trials confirm the early promise, the shoreline may become a new frontier in the search for flexible, distributed power.